Personalization is based on the principle of speaking in the customer’s language.
Why, exactly? Take a look at the statistics:
- One-fifth of Americans do not speak English. This means that you can’t reach all US clients in English alone.
- Six countries, including Canada, Belgium and Belgium, speak at least two languages.
- 56.2% of customers prefer content in their language to a lower cost.
- According to a 2020 survey, 40% of respondents said they wouldn’t buy in any other language than their native tongue.
However, translating emails into other languages is only the tip of the Iceberg (it will take you just 20% of your available time). Localizing emails is the only way to make them relevant for your customers.
What is Localization?
The processes of translation and localization, while related, are distinct.
Translation is the process of converting texts from one language into another while retaining their meaning. Focus is placed on the accurate reproduction of the original message.
Localization is more than just a literal translation. It involves adjusting the content so that it is culturally relevant and appropriate for a particular region or audience. This process consists of translating text but also adapting nontextual elements, such as images, colors, formats of dates, currencies, units, and social norms.
Why is Email localization important?
Even if all your customers speak English, sending them one email might not be the best idea.
Holidays, for example, have different dates as well as different origins. US Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrim-Wampanoag Feast, which symbolizes peace and sharing. Canadian Thanksgiving celebrates the safe arrival of explorer Martin Frobisher in the New World and is aligned with European traditions that mark the end of the harvest season. It is not enough to send one email to each country.
Staying informed about the current conditions in your recipient’s country is also important. Sending promotional emails or gamified emails in the wake of an important event, such as a major earthquake in Turkey or Syria, war in Ukraine, or riots on the streets of France, may be seen as insensitive.
Consider the following when you are attempting to customize your email.
- The customs and traditions of your recipient’s country are unique.
- Date formats. Convert dates or adhere to a standard format, e.g., Thursday, 24 August 2023.
- Measurement units. Convert weights and dimensions between imperial and metric systems.
- Conversions of currencies. The use of commas is different in each country. Commas are used in the US to separate numbers ($1,234,567), while they are used in other countries as decimal points (23,15).
- Technical compatibility includes right-to-left (RTL) or left-to-right scripts.
- Current Events It may be necessary to cancel or postpone promotions for certain countries, or launch them for special occasions such as congratulating the winning country of the Euro Cup.
- Time Zones. Be aware that your customers are located in different time zones to avoid contacting them at inappropriate times. For example, convert time zones accurately for invitation emails.
- Compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Keep a glossary for words and terms that should be avoided in each country. Pay attention to details such as the fact that double opt-ins are optional in the US but mandatory in Europe.
Multilingual email marketing: Challenges and Transition
You may still have problems even if you do everything right and follow the recommendations above.
- Use of merge tags incorrectly: The email is written in English, but the recipient’s name is in the native language.
- Text over images is difficult to translate: You may experience this problem if you use scripting in your emails or dynamic.
- Word length/formatting: The translated words can have a different number of characters. This could affect the email design.
- A/B Testing: The biggest challenge with A/B Testing is that cultural and language differences can affect results.
- Deliverability Many factors can affect delivery, including local ISPs and variations in spam filters.
- Dynamic Content: We use dynamic content in triggered emails but we cannot control the translation.
Yet, there are no solid solutions to these challenges. We expect that they will emerge in the near future.